Braiding-machine



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ANDREW B. CLEMONS, OF DERBY, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO BlRMINGHAM IRONFOUNDRY CO., OF BII'th/HNGHAM, CONNECTICUT.

BRAIDIITG-MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent No. 22,1GG, dated November 16, 1858.

To al 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, A. B. CLnMoNs, of Derby, in the county of New Havenand State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful improvement inthe method of regulating the tension of the threads paid out from thebobbins of machines for braiding' the metallic springs of hoop-skirtsand other objects; and l do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, making part of this specification. A

Figure l, is a side elevation of a bobbin and spindle, elliptical guideand vertical guide bar of a braiding machine, with the improvementsattached. Fig. 2, is a top or birds eye view of ditto.

Similar letters in the figures refer to corresponding parts.

rlhe nature of this invention and improvement consists in so forming theweight, which assists in regulating the tension of the thread, as toenable it to have an up and down movement beside the vertical guide bar,and surrounding said guide bar above the weight with a metallic block,having a iianch at its side which projects over the ratchet teeth ornotches formed on the top of the bobbin, in such a manner as to enablethe thread from the bottom to be passed through an opening or eye in theupright guide bar, thence under the lower end of the weight and thencethrough an eye at the upper end of the guide bar to the object to bebraided, whereby the diameter of the winding portion of the bobbin maybe greatly reduced, and the bobbin made to hold much more thread andturned with much less friction than if the tension weight were arrangedwithin a box at its center, as in the ordinary method.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I willproceed to describe its construction and operation.

The elliptical guide A, which passes through the usual Zig-zag groovesof the braiding machine, is provided with guide flanges B, B, above andbelow, and a vertical spindle C, rising from the upper surface, which issurrounded by a bobbin D, on the upper flange or disk D', of which areformed ratchet notches or teeth.

From the end of the upper Hange B, in the rear of the bobbin rises avertical guide bar E, extending nearly double the height of the bobbin,in which are formed rounded edge eyes or openings F, G, one of which Gr,is at the upper end and the other immediately opposite a point midwaybetween the upper and lower flanges or disks of the bobbin D.

A. semi-circular block of metal or weight H, is arranged on the rearside of the upright guide bar E, on the rear portion of which is formeda space or groove, whose lips or edges extend beyond the edges of theupright guide bar E, which passes through the same, for the purpose ofguiding the said block or weight H, in its up and down movement, agroove H, being formed in the said segmental block H, between it and theupright bar E, for the passage of the thread t, and the body of metal atthe lower end of the semi-circular block or weight H, between the grooveand front rounded surface, being rounded to admit the free movement ofthe thread over the same.

Immediately above the semi-circular block or weight H, and surroundingthe upright guide bar, is arranged another metal block or weight K,which also has an up and down movement over the upright guide bar E,which passes through its center slot, and this weight has a vertical ribor flange L, projecting from its front surface sufhciently far as tobring its outer end immediately above the ratchet notches or teeth onthe upper surface of the upper flange or disks D, of the bobbin D.

The guides A, and their several attachments are revolved in reversedirections, and in Zig-Zag courses, in the usual manner, and the threadt, from each of the bobbins passing through the eyelet F, and thencethrough the groove H, in the block or weight H, and

- under the same and through the upper eyelet G, in the guide bar E, iskept to the required degree of tension along its entire course from thebobbin to the hoop, or other article being braided, by the weight of theblock H, and the action of the additional pawl block or weight K, inthis manner: Vhen the thread t, from the bobbin becomes slack, the blockor weight H, descends and in this manner compensates for the same, thebobbin B, being prevented from turning any farther, and consequentlypaying any more thread out, by the projection or pawl L, on the upperblock or weight K, entering a notch of the ratchet flange or disk D, ofthe bobbin, until the proper degree of tenlsion on the thread is againestablished, When the lower Weight or block H, is again raised and theupper Weight or block paWl or projection L, is detached from the ratchetnotches or teeth of the bobhin, when the paying out again takes placefrom the bobbin. In this inanner the paying out of the thread from thebobbin and consequently its proper degree of tension is regulated.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is,

Combining and arranging the tension and pawl blocks or Weights H, K,which have a rising and falling movement over the vertical guide bar E,in the relation to the lower eye F, in the bar E, and the bobbins D, de:scribed, for regulating the paying out of the thread from the bobbin andconsequently its tension in the manner before set forth.

ANDREV B. CLEMONS.

Witnesses:

ROYAL M. BAssnT'r, L. B. Doonns'r.

